Webinar: Freedom to Evolve: Securing the Backbone with Layer-1 Encryption and QKD
Date & Time - 29 Oct 2025, 11am EST
Duration - 60 min
Webinar Overview
As data volumes continue to surge, cyberattacks are escalating even faster. By the end of 2025, IDC projects that the world will generate 175 zettabytes of data, with Microsoft detecting approximately 600 million cyberattacks every day, and IBM estimating the average cost of a data breach at nearly $5 million. Securing data in transit has become a strategic necessity.
In this session, Nino Shaptoshvili, VP of Sales at PacketLight, explains why securing the optical layer, not just Layers 2 and above, is the foundation of a resilient network security strategy. Learn how Layer-1 AES-256 encryption, combined with QKD readiness, protects critical infrastructure against today's cyber threats while preparing for the quantum era.
Speaker
Nino Shaptoshvili, VP Sales
PacketLight Networks
Nino Shaptoshvili is a seasoned leader with 20+ years in global high-tech, specializing in optical transport. With deep expertise in scaling sales teams and opening new markets, she brings both strategic vision and hands-on industry insight. Fluent in four languages, Nino combines global perspective with a proven track record of delivering results.
Who will benefit from this webinar?
- Network architects & planners
- Engineering & operations teams
- Executives seeking ROI and scalability
Key Takeaways
- Why the physical layer is the first line of defense - A hacker can tap as little as 1% of light from a fiber and expose everything on that link. Layer-1 encryption secures data before it ever reaches higher layers.
- No performance trade-off - Layer-1 AES-256 encryption runs at line rate with only nanoseconds of added latency.
- Two paths to QKD - Over dedicated dark fiber, reaching up to 100km, and over shared-fiber, reaching up to 60km but at a lower cost.
- Built-in compliance - Standards-based design supports FIPS 140-3, GDPR, and Common Criteria certifications, plus interoperability with QKD vendors such as IDQ, Toshiba, HEQA, and NEC.
- The "harvest now, decrypt later" threat - Attackers are already stealing encrypted data to decrypt once quantum computing matures. QKD-readiness protects against that risk now.
- Layer-1 first, then QKD - Nino's take: "Layer-1 encryption is an absolute must for all industries."
FAQs
1. Is the webinar recording available?
Yes. Watch the full on-demand recording above, anytime.
2. Why isn't higher-layer encryption (like TLS or IPsec) enough?
Higher-layer encryption leaves the physical fiber exposed. A fiber tap can extract data before it ever reaches the encrypted layer. Layer-1 AES-256 encryption secures data at the physical transport layer first, closing that gap.
3. Does Layer-1 encryption slow down the network?
No. It runs at line rate with only nanoseconds of latency, because encryption happens in hardware inside the optical transponder, unlike software-based higher-layer encryption, which reduces throughput.
4. What is Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and why does it matter now?
QKD uses quantum mechanics to generate and exchange encryption keys that can't be intercepted without detection. It matters now because attackers are already harvesting encrypted data to decrypt later once quantum computers mature.
5. What's the difference between dedicated dark fiber QKD and shared fiber QKD?
Dedicated dark fiber QKD offers the highest security and range (up to 100km) but costs more. Shared fiber QKD needs no separate dark fiber, reaches up to 60km, and costs less, with higher noise susceptibility.
6. Which industries need Layer-1 encryption and QKD most?
Financial services, healthcare, government and defense, data centers, and AI/ML operations , any organization handling sensitive, high-volume data that can't risk interception, downtime, or compliance penalties (HIPAA, PCI DSS, SOX, FIPS).
